Kiel Canal, Germany

Photo: Kiel Canal, Germany

// September 1st, 1998 // Germany, Scandinavian Capitals '98

After leaving Dover and crossing the English Chanel (The Dream swerved sharply in the middle of that crossing at about 1am to avoid hitting another ship… A year later at the end of this same itinerary, during the same shift, she did hit another ship… another reason not to sail NCL) we arrived at the mouth of the North Sea end of the Kiel Canal to begin our transit.
The Kiel Canal connects the North Sea with the Baltic, and is a much safer route than the trechurous route through the Danish Sound and Belts. The canal is a “traditional” canal with series of locks. One unique feature of the canal is that in addition to the width size restrictions the Kiel Canal also has a “height” restriction for ships because of the eight high level bridges that span the canal.

The Kiel Canal is my favorite canal. It is an absolutely goregeous area. The day of the transit was beautiful, warm and sunny with huge puffy clouds. The scenery is incredible – rolling green farmland, horses playing in the fields, and wonderful parks and walkways along the length of the canal with families out enjoying them. It amazed me to see the number of people, mostly families, that came out to see the ships passing through the canal. Some would wait in the areas near the locks, some in parks along the canal, and others out riding bikes, or walking along the paths that follow the canal. The communities along the canal have definately made this area a place to be used and enjoyed by all, not just a transit route for ships.

The Norwegian Dream is an event when she passes through the Kiel Canal. For one very special reason… there is one bridge that she is taller than. In order to use the canal the engineers of the ship had to get creative. They had to find a way to make her fit under this bridge. Their solution – She “Flips” her funnel and lays back her mast in order to fit. Not only is this a site for the passengers onboard to see – but it’s quite the event for the locals too. There were several people that were actually on top of the bridge to watch her “Flip her Funnel.” After a beautiful, full day transversing the Kiel Canal we headed for our first port – Tallin, Estonia.


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